Hat-finishing machine



No. 607,653. Patented July l9, I898. w. E. cummmss.

HAT FINISHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1896) 12 /2 V g! f v I I 4\" A v w vWITNESSES; INVENTUR:

BY Ava/u ATTORNEYS:

m: NORRIS PETERS co. PHDTO-LITNQ, WASHINGYON, n, c.

ilNrrnn STATES Parent @FFICE \VILLIAM E. CUMMINGS, OF ORANGE, NEIVJERSEY.

HAT-FINISHING MACHINE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,653, dated July 19,1898.

Application filed November 14., 1896. Serial No. 612,049. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. CUMMINGS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Finishing Machines;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the operation ofhat-finishingyto provide a machine that can be operated at varying ratesof speed and otherwise adapted to various kinds of finishing operations,such as ironing, pouncing,&c. to facilitate the work of changing fromone kind of work to another, and to secure other advantages and results,some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with thedescription of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved hat; finishing machinesand in thearrangements and combinations of parts, all substantially as will behereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of theclaim..

Referring to the accompanying drawings,in which like letters ofreference indicate corrresponding parts in'each of the views, Figure 1is a side elevation of the improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 1s a detail sectiontaken at line at. Figs. 4

and 5 are respectively a plan and side view of a certain portion of themachine used more particularly in connection with the pouncingoperation. Fig. 6 is a detail plan showing a bearing for the rotaryshaft which carries the brim-board, Fig. 7 is a sectional View on line yof a pulley for operating the said shaft. Fig. 8 is a detail showing acertain modification of construction, and Fig. 9 is a section taken online .2.

In carrying out the invention I arrange upon a suitable foundation orbed, such as the bench'a, a-housing or bearing plate Z), provided withvertically-disposed journaled boxes adapted to receive a shaft 0. Onsaid shaft, at the top or above said bench at, the said shaft isprovided with a collar (1, having arms d, on which is seated or'formed aplate 6 for a brim-board'f, the said brim-board being fastened upon saidplate in a direction or in a line corresponding with the central frontand rear line of the hat-body, as indicated in Fig. 3, and at the sides,or in positions corresponding with the sides of the brim, being free ofsaid plate, so as to be adjusted as indicated in Fig. 2,adjusting-screws g 9 being provided to raise or lower the sides of thebrim-board to suit various shapes to be obtained.

Upon the plate 6, at the axial center thereof, is fastened a split tubeh, of uniform bore, which forms a shaft adapted to enter the hatblock,suitably bored out or recessed to receive the same, the said shankserving to hold the hat-block rigidly in position on the brim-board.Within said split tube I arrange an expanding-piece z, Fig; 3, having aconical or flaring extremity j at the top eX-' tending through thebrim-board and plate 6 and below said plate or at the split end of thetube and havingits lower end projecting down through an opening in theplate 6 and being threaded to receive a nut 70 below said plate 6. Theflaring portion j of the expand- 8o ing-piece partially projects fromtheupper or split end of the tube and at its top is of a cross-sectiongreater than the bore of the tube, but less than that of the socket. Theexpanding-piece is so arranged in relation to the plate 6 and nut 75 as,when the nut 70 is turned, to draw the flaring or conical portion intothe tube and cause the latter to spread, i and thus enter into bindingcontact with the hat-block to hold the same in place, as will beunderstood in reference to Figs. 1 and 3. Supporting the plate 6 abovethe end of the shaft and at a distance therefrom by means of the arms dallows the lower end of said expanding-piece to project downward through9 5 acentral opening in said plate 6, so that the nut 70 on saidexpanding-piece may lie below the plate and be manipulated thereat.

At the lower end of the shaft 0, beneath the table, the same receives apulley Z of peculiar xoo shape. The said pulley comprises a disk uponthe lower side of which are fastened,

concentrically, beveled frictional surfaces or gearing of variousdiameters adapted to receive different cooperating pulleys m a, saidpulleys m n being arranged upon a powershaft '0. The pulleys m n areprovided with suitable shifting-levers p q, adapted to throw saidpulleys into frictional or other operative relation with the cooperatingsurfaces or gearing on the pulley Z. Thus by operating theshifting-lever p I may throw the pulley it into operative relation withthe pulley Z to secure a rapid rotation of the said pulley Z and theparts operated thereby, and by operating the lever q the pulley on maybe brought into engagement with the diametrically larger surfaces orgearing of the pulley Z to secure a slow motion of the said pulley, aswill be evident.

In connection with the brim-board and means for holding the block Iemploy a plurality of finishing-tools carried by suitable levers s,fulcrumed upon the wall or fixture r. Said finishing-tools preferablycomprise smoothing or sad irons of any suitable construction (not shown)and a pouncing-tool t of peculiarconstruction. Said pouncing-tool isshown more clearly in Figs. 4, 5 and 9 and in Fig. 1,Where .9 indicatesthe bentlever, having a suitable hand-piece s and fulcrumal bearings s.A spring-arm u, attached to said lever and extending parallel orsubstantially parallel with the handled end of the lever, serves to giveelasticity to the pressure upon the felt. The free end of the said armis provided with a pouncing device consisting of a block 0, over whichsandpaper may be stretched, and a plate 4), having loops 1) for holdingthe said block in position, and the spring 12', interposed between saidplate and said block, tending to hold the loop in clamping relation tothe sandpaper.

Preliminary to operation the desired hatblock is simply seated upon thebrim-board and shank, and the finger-piece 7c is turned so as to clampthe said block, after which power is applied to the machine and thebrim-board is given the desired rotary motion.

When the ironing-tool is employed, the motion of the block is slow; butwhen the sand papering or pouncing operation is effected the rotation isincreased in rapidity, and these differential motions are obtained bymeans of the pulley Z, having various concentric bearings forcooperating pulleys in the manner described or in any other mannersuitable to the results to be obtained.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In ahat-finishing machine, the combination of a rotary shaft having at itsupper end arms supportinga centrally-perforated plate, a brim-boardfastened upon said plate to receive a hat-block, and holding means forsaid hat-block secured to said plate and extending downward through saidplate into the space between said arms, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hat-finishin g machine, the combination of a plate 0, andbrim-board f, a hat-block seated upon said brim-board and having boredat the center of its under surface a vertical socket, a split tube ofuniform bore fastened to the upper surface of said plate e, and adaptedto enter said vertical socket, and an expanding-piece 'i, lying in thesplit tube and having its lower end extending downward through the plate6, and threaded to receive a nut 76, and having its upper portionflaring or conical and partially projecting from the top of the splittube, the projecting end being larger than the bore of the said tube butsmaller than the bore of the socket, substantially-as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this10th day of October, 1896.

IVILLIAM E. CUMMINGS.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, J As. H. FLEMING.

